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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Feb 23, 2021 18:17:19 GMT -5
I believe there are some other threads here that mention this topic, but I have a specific question, so I'm just starting a new thread.
Do any of you have to pay for trash (and "compost") pickup ahead of services rendered, specifically, paying for 3 months ahead with the bill being due even before that 3 month period has begun? I.e., the bill rec'd today is due "on receipt" for the period beginning 1 April 2021.
Apparently "compost" is just trees and branches; there's no mention of grass, so I guess the residents get to keep it and use it for their own own compost if desired.
This is just for pickup; the township manages the water supply.
This company is setting its own rules after having been selected (by sole source I suspect) to replace an earlier reliable and good company.
The waste hauler used to be a privately owned company, very reliable and easy to work with, but it was acquired by a larger hauler. Then the Township made the decision to hire the existing company. The company not hired announced it was ceasing pickup, that particular week, and residents were left w/o a trash pickup until the Township action was finalized and the existing company took over.
And trash pick changed and became more mandatory and structured.
Just wondering if this is a practice anywhere else, or just in this area.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Feb 23, 2021 18:58:18 GMT -5
Another issue, one which I plan to research, is that if bills aren't paid by 15 August, second month of the third period, they "may be" added to the property tax rolls. I had thought that most of the special assessments in tax bills were enacted through legislation, at either state or local level. This is the first time I've ever heard of a tax bill incorporating delinquent garbage pickup bills, w/o any enabling legislation.
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Post by pondgardener on Feb 23, 2021 18:58:36 GMT -5
The service that we have sends a bill wanting payment for the next three months, something similar to how you would be charged if you were subscribing to a newspaper or magazine. You are making a payment for future promised service. Otherwise some people would just not pay anything after three months of service and the company would have to find some way to get paid. If you don't want to pay for regular trash pickup, you may have to find other options such as a transfer station that would only charge for what is dropped off.
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Post by binnylou on Feb 23, 2021 21:13:26 GMT -5
Our trash service is a private company. They send a quarterly statement, billing in advance, on the first day of each quarter. I pay $48 per quarter, they give good service every Monday morning, shortly after 8 a.m. With our current service provider, I’ve never had to call for service because they missed our container...I’ve never had to ask to be billed...I’ve never had to call about my check not being credited to our account. They give good service and we appreciate it. We do not want to do landfill runs. In years past, every dump run would result in a nail in a tire.
We no longer return our cans and bottles for a deposit. We bag them separately and they are left for the driver to redeem. Some of our neighbors do the same.
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Post by Mumsey on Feb 24, 2021 5:30:50 GMT -5
Ours is a monthly thing, once a week pickup for garbage only and charged on a monthly basis, $13/month. It's on our utility bill since we have city owned utilities. Garbage, water, sewer, electric, phone, internet and cable all on one bill. Compost/yard waste is our problem. Being a small town the tree dump isn't far. Most people don't have an issue getting there. Lawn service takes care of it for people who don't do their own.
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Post by emmsmommy on Feb 24, 2021 5:43:03 GMT -5
Ours is basically the same. We are billed for three months in advance and the cost is around $80. This is household garbage only with an allowance of one large or bulky item per month as long as you notify them in advance. My husband and neighbor get irate when they miss picking up garbage in the winter but I ask them if they would be comfortable driving that truck on our ice-covered roads. In that event they usually pick everything up the next week or make a special run later. Yard waste is not allowed and honestly most folks around here don't much worry about having manicured lawns. The main issue I've ever had with them was serveral years ago with the prior owners. I noticed my garbage was still in the bin and the drivers told my neighbor I hadn't paid my bill. I had paid my bill, but in cash as I was out of checks at the time. I went to their office on lunch break, produced the receipt, told them I didn't appreciate the driver discussing my account with the neighbor and haven't had many problems since.
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Post by Wheelgarden on Feb 24, 2021 13:08:01 GMT -5
We contract with a private company, 53 bucks per quarter pre-paid, once-weekly pickup, no brush or leaves (that's okay). They furnish a very large wheeled can, and they'll pick up extra if you notify them ahead of time. They're pretty good about letting us know of pickup delays. At one time they ran an extra pickup for sorted recyclables for 10 extra dollars, but discontinued it for lack of subscribers. Very reliable, and sure beats the dickens out of the landfill runs that I don't miss at all.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Feb 24, 2021 13:15:40 GMT -5
pondgardener , binnylou , Mumsey , emmsmommy , Wheelgarden , thanks for sharing your experiences with trash hauling situations. I see now that this new company isn't unique in wanting upfront payment. Thinking this over, I can understand that companies with residential clients may have concerns about nonpayment, and I suppose that does happen. I hadn't really thought of that, although your comments reminded me of a practice one of the neighbors used. She said she deliberately put bills in the wrong envelopes so they'd be delayed and she and the people with whom she lived would have to time to scrape up funds to pay them. Given that they were drinking most of the time they were outside, I can understand why they had a cash flow problem. I'd rather pay the bills and ensure the services, especially for trash pickup and household water. It also may depend on what specifically is included on the bill besides waste pickup, i.e., whether it's a fixed charge or dependent on some usage. When water and sewer are included, bills are sent at the end of a 3 month period, since water usage varies. Trash is a standard fee and doesn't vary except when prices are raised. So I've never to my best recollection had to pay upfront, but I now see the rationale behind this practice. Landfill runs are something new in this area. We used to be able to put batteries (bagged separately) out for pickup; now we have to take them to the southern county recycling center. In my father's area, the township has its own landfill, with a $15 charge for dropoffs. That would include any computers, propane tanks, and car batteries. Thanks for taking the time to offer good insights.
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Post by breezygardener on Feb 24, 2021 14:08:52 GMT -5
When we first moved here we had an absolutely wonderful private trash pickup guy who, for $50/month, came weekly & took everything we had - recyclables included. He was one of several small private trash pickup companies. Then a Virginia conglomerate moved in & bought out every. single. one. of the private guys, & refused to pick up our trash unless we lugged our cans a mile up to the main road. After harassing us for several months about the issue, we gave them the permanent heave-ho, & now take all of our trash & recyclables ourselves to the local dump/recycling center. It's not our favorite chore, but it's really not that bad, only takes about 30 minutes time, & is FREE. Thus we pay NOTHING, unless we have a large heavy truckload of non-household trash that needs to be weighed & deposited in the back 40.
If we were going to have load up all our trash & truck it a mile up the road & pay for the privilege, it made more sense to load it all up & travel a few more miles for free.
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Post by desertwoman on Feb 24, 2021 14:53:36 GMT -5
Yes- always pay ahead no matter which service used
Our house in town has a monthly charge for weekly trash and recycle pick up $16.54/month paid in advance on the city utility bill
Out here in the county weekly trash pick up and every 2 week recycle pick up is available $43.21/month or can pay quarterly- paid in advance
Or out here we can use a landfill permit 3 trips/$27.50 6 trips/$55 or 12 trips/$110 one punch = 1 car load or pick up truck load. (Seniors get a $5 discount on 6 and $10 discount on 12) We generate so little trash- a 30 gallon trash bag full, at most, once a month , usually longer. Recycles about the same.
We just haul our trash to the house in town since we split the utilities with the tenants there.
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Post by gardendmpls on Feb 24, 2021 20:38:11 GMT -5
I get a water bill about every three months, but as far as I know, the trash collection in NYC is covered by taxes if residential. The Department of Sanitation also sands and plows the streets when there is snow.
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Post by James on Mar 1, 2021 11:06:52 GMT -5
GM
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